Keg Coupling

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a dispensing device for a dispensing system to be used in connection with dispensing of a beverage. The dispensing system comprises a beverage container comprising a beverage outlet, and a pressure medium, such as CO 2 , which is adapted to force the beverage via the beverage outlet out of said beverage container. The dispensing device comprises a coupling member, and the connection of dispensing of beverage and the connection of the flow of the pressure medium to the beverage container are effected by an essentially linear movement of the coupling member, and the disconnection of dispensing of beverage and the disconnection of the flow of the pressure medium to the beverage container is effected by an essentially linear movement of the coupling member. The disclosure further relates to a method for dispensing beverage from a dispensing system comprising a dispensing device.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a dispensing device for a dispensingsystem to be used in connection with dispensing of a beverage. Thedispensing system comprises a beverage container comprising a beverageoutlet, a pressure medium, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), which isadapted to force the beverage via the beverage outlet out of saidbeverage container. The present invention further relates to a methodfor dispensing beverage from a dispensing system comprising a dispensingdevice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A large number of systems and devices are known within the field ofbeverage dispensing. Typically, the beverage is stored in a container,such as a beer keg, which during use is connected to a dispensingsystem. The beverage flows from the container through a dispensing line,which is typically fastened at some sort of tapping cock where thebeverage is dispensed. The flow of beverage may for instance be achievedby a higher than atmospheric pressure inside the container, forcing beerinto the dispensing line. During use of the dispensing system, pressureis usually continuously applied to the inside of the container by meansof a pressure medium. It is common to use CO2 as the pressure medium.

The pressure medium is usually supplied to the beverage container from agas cylinder via some sort of coupling device. Also, it is common thatthe coupling device connects to the beverage outlet of for instance abeer keg, whereby it serves to supply pressure medium such as CO2 to thebeverage container and beverage to the dispensing system.

When a beverage container such as a beer keg is connected to adispensing system by means of a coupling device, it is preferable ifthis can be carried out without leakage of pressure medium (i.e. CO2) tothe surroundings. In the current art, this is done by integratingsophisticated connection means in the coupling device. These connectionmeans tend to be rather complex and expensive, and in most cases thepressure medium leakage during connection of the beverage container ismerely limited, but not eliminated. In some examples of prior art, thepressure medium flow is connected to the dispensing device first, andsubsequently the beer flow is connected. One drawback of this is that itentails a risk of foaming once the beer flow is connected, which is atbest messy and at worst dangerous for the user in case the pressure ishigh enough to cause equipment failure. Hence, there is a need for acoupling device that is cheap and simple yet provides a satisfactoryprevention of pressure medium leakage and foaming.

Another drawback of the current dispensing devices is that they aredifficult and expensive to clean. The many components, such as valvesand piping, must be disassembled to ensure a proper cleaning, making theprocedure long and expensive. Also, since the hygiene is of highimportance when it comes to handling of beverages, the risk of impropercleaning of the dispensing device due to the time consuming procedure ofdisassembling the device and cleaning all the grooves and notches of thedispensing device's components. In some examples of the current priorart, the cleaning procedure is sought simplified by pumping small spongeballs through the dispensing device. This is advantageous as it savestime, but unfortunately it does not work with those dispensing deviceshaving valves incorporated to ensure a satisfactory functionality, asthe valves block the passage of the sponge balls.

The dispensing devices of the current prior art are primarily made fromstainless steel or other materials which do not contaminate the beverageto be dispensed. With the rising prices of raw materials, a need fordispensing equipment using less material is becoming even more importantto manufacturers of dispensing devices. Additionally, the complexity ofthe dispensing devices of the current art requires extensive machiningduring manufacturing, which is very costly—especially when usingstainless steel. Hence, there is a need to provide a dispensing devicewith lower manufacturing costs, for instance by minimising the necessaryamount of expensive materials per device.

It is a requirement that the coupling of the beverage container to thedispensing system is as simple and fast as possible. In some examples ofthe current art, the beverage container must be rotated into thecoupling device, whereby the connection of beverage flow and pressuremedium flow can be established either as a result of the rotation or byan additional user interaction, for instance by the opening of valves.Regardless, this method has the clear disadvantage that the beveragecontainers are usually quite heavy, making the coupling operationdifficult and hazardous. Also, the troublesome coupling operationentails a larger risk of faulty connection of the beverage flow or thepressure medium flow, resulting in leakages to the surroundings. Hence,there is a need for a coupling device that provides an easy and safecoupling operation.

When the dispensing devices of the current art are detached from thebeverage container after this is emptied, the user must ensure that theflow of CO2 is disconnected prior to the detachment. If this step isforgotten, the pressure medium will flow to the surroundings upondetachment of the dispensing device, which is inconvenient, dangerousand costly. Hence, there is a need for a dispensing device which can notbe detached from the beverage container without the flow of pressuremedium being stopped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to wholly or partly overcome theabove disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. More specifically,it is an object to provide a dispensing device for a dispensing systemto be used in connection with dispensing of a beverage, said systemcomprising a beverage container comprising an outlet, a pressure medium,such as CO2, which is adapted to force the beverage via the outlet outof said beverage container, in which said dispensing device comprises acoupling member, and said connection of dispensing of beverage and saidconnection of said flow of said pressure medium to said container iseffected by an essentially linear movement of said coupling member, andin which said disconnection of dispensing of beverage and saiddisconnection of said flow of said pressure medium to said container iseffected by an essentially linear movement of said coupling member.

An advantage of being able to connect and disconnect the flow ofbeverage and pressure medium in the same movement is that it makes itpossible to minimise or even eliminate the leakage of pressure medium tothe surroundings by designing the coupling member so that the beverageinlet and the pressure medium outlet are opened respectively closedsimultaneously. The latter is facilitated by the essentially linearmovement of the coupling member. A further advantage is that the need torotate or in other ways move the beverage container to connect anddisconnect the flows of beverage and pressure medium is eliminated.

The dispensing device according to the invention may be adapted toconnect the dispensing of beverage from said container and the flow ofsaid pressure medium to said container at essentially the same time.Also, the dispensing device according to the invention may be adapted todisconnect the dispensing of beverage from said container and the flowof said pressure medium to said container at essentially the same time.An advantage of this is that it makes it possible to minimise or eveneliminate the leakage of pressure medium to the surroundings by thepressure medium outlet and the beverage inlet being opened respectivelyclosed simultaneously.

The dispensing device according to the invention may comprise a handlemember comprising a first end with a slide member extending from it, asecond end, and a midsection, wherein said midsection is attached tosaid coupling member in a rotatable joint. This is advantageous, as itmakes it possible to convert movement of the handle member into movementof the coupling member. Furthermore, it enables conversion of themovement of the handle member into rotational movement of componentscomprised by the coupling member.

The dispensing device according to the invention may be mounted in ahousing, said housing comprising a first end and a second end, whereinsaid second end comprises a holder for said beverage container. Thehousing serves to hold the components of the dispensing device in place.The holder makes it possible to connect the dispensing device to abeverage container and it also makes it possible to steer movement ofthe components of the dispensing device relative to the beveragecontainer.

The housing may further comprise a groove in which said coupling membercan carry out said essentially linear movement. This is advantageous, asit makes it possible to steer the movement of the coupling memberrelative to the housing.

The first end of said housing may comprise a closed track in which saidslide member can slide in an essentially linear movement between a firstextreme and a second extreme. This is advantageous, as it in cooperationwith said rotational joint makes it possible to convert rotationalmovement of said handle member into linear movement of said couplingmember.

The dispensing device according to the invention may be so that saiddispensing of beverage and said flow of said pressure medium to saidbeverage container is connected when said slide member moves from saidfirst extreme to said second extreme. The dispensing device according tothe invention may be so that said dispensing of beverage and said flowof said pressure medium is disconnected when said slide member movesfrom said second extreme to said first extreme. The slide member maymove towards said second extreme by rotation of said handle memberaround said rotatable joint in a first direction and wherein said slidemember moves away from said second extreme by rotation of said handlemember around said rotatable joint in a second direction. This isadvantageous, as it enables the connection and disconnection of the twoflows to be effected by rotation of the handle member via the conversioninto linear movement of the coupling member. Hence, the cooperation ofhandle member, the rotational joint, the slide member and the couplingmember makes it possible to achieve connection and disconnection of thetwo flows by a simple user interaction, i.e. by pressing a handlemember.

The dispensing device according to the invention may comprise acompressible seal member and a tube member comprising a pressure mediumduct, a first end, and a second end, and the coupling member comprisedby the dispensing device may comprise a beverage duct, a first end, asecond end and a mid section, and said second end of said tube membermay be attached to said mid section of said engagement member, and saidseal member may be located at said second end of said coupling member.An advantage of the compressible seal member is that it can be activatedand deactivated by a linear interaction with another member, such as thecoupling member. An advantage of the tube member is that it enables aneasy connection of the flow of pressure medium to the dispensing device.An advantage of the beverage duct is that it enables flow of beveragethrough the coupling member, which is advantageous when the flow of beercan be connected and/or disconnected by a linear movement of thecoupling member.

The dispensing device according to the invention may comprise a beverageduct extending from a beverage outlet at said first end of said couplingmember to a beverage inlet at said second end of said coupling member,and wherein said beverage duct comprises a beverage valve. The beveragevalve may be essentially cylindrical and comprise a circularcross-section and a duct extending through said circular cross-section.The beverage valve may be rotatable around an axis being essentiallyorthogonal to said circular cross-section of said beverage valve.Furthermore, the beverage valve may be comprised by said rotatablejoint. An advantage of the beer valve being cylindrical and comprising abeverage duct is that it makes it possible to act as the rotationaljoint, whereby rotation of the handle member can effect opening orclosing of the beer valve at the same time as the rotation of the handlemember effects a linear movement of the coupling member.

The pressure medium duct comprised by the dispensing device may start atsaid first end of said tube member, it may pass through the attachmentof said second end of said tube member and said midsection of saidcoupling member, and it may end in a pressure medium outlet at saidsecond end of said coupling member. The compressible seal membercomprised by the dispensing device may in a non-compressed state closesaid pressure medium outlet and it may in a compressed state not closesaid pressure medium outlet. This is advantageous, as it makes it easierto make the linear movement of the coupling member effect connection ordisconnection of the pressure medium flow from the dispensing device tothe beverage container.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method fordispensing beverage from a dispensing system comprising a dispensingdevice according to the invention. Said method comprises connecting apressure medium nozzle to said dispensing device, connecting saiddispensing device to a beverage container, and moving said couplingmember in an essentially linear movement. This method is advantageous,as it does not require any movement of the beverage container, and it isvery simple to use, as all the user has to do to start the beveragedispensing is to effect a linear movement of the coupling. Thesimplicity of the method also has the advantage that it enables asimpler and thus cheaper design of the dispensing device.

The method according to the invention may further comprise any of:effecting said essentially linear movement of said coupling member byrotating a handle member, effecting a beverage valve to open by saidessentially linear movement of said coupling member, effecting abeverage valve to close by said essentially linear movement of saidcoupling member, effecting a pressure medium outlet to open by saidessentially linear movement of said coupling member, effecting apressure medium outlet to close by said essentially linear movement ofsaid coupling member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention and its many advantages will be described in more detailbelow with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, which forthe purpose of illustration show some non-limiting embodiments and inwhich

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a dispensing system comprising adispensing device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view and a schematic cross-sectional viewof a preferred embodiment of a dispensing device according to theinvention,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a preferred embodimentof a dispensing device in an engaged state and in two disengaged states,

FIG. 4 shows two perspective views of a dispensing device according tothe invention, and

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the components of a preferredembodiment of a dispensing device according to the invention.

All the figures are highly schematic, not necessarily to scale, and theyshow only parts which are necessary in order to elucidate the invention,other parts being omitted or merely suggested.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a dispensing system 2 comprising apreferred embodiment of a dispensing device 1 according to theinvention. The dispensing device 1 is connected to a source of pressuremedium 5. In section (a) of FIG. 1, the dispensing device 1 is about tobe connected to the beverage outlet 6 of a beverage container 4 via aholder 17 comprised by the dispensing device 1. The connection of flowof beverage 3 from the container 4 to the dispensing device 1 isestablished by an essentially linear movement of the coupling member 7comprised by the dispensing device 1. In section (a) of FIG. 1, thecoupling member 7 is about to carry out this essentially linearmovement, and in section (b) of FIG. 1, the coupling member 7 hascompleted the essentially linear movement. At some point during thelinear movement of the coupling member 7, the flow of beverage from thecontainer 4 through the dispensing device 1 is initiated, and at thesame point of the movement, the flow of pressure medium 5 to thebeverage container 4 is also initiated. By reversing the linear movementof the coupling member, i.e. by moving from the state shown in section(b) of FIG. 1 to the state shown in section (a) of FIG. 1, the flow ofbeverage from the container 4 through the dispensing device 1 isdiscontinued at some point of the movement, and at the same point of themovement, the flow of pressure medium 5 to the beverage container 4 isalso discontinued. The movement of the coupling member 7 can also, inother preferred embodiments, be exactly linear, or it can even follow anarc or a curve. In the preferred embodiment of the dispensing device 1shown in FIG. 1, the essentially linear movement of the coupling member7 is effected by the rotation of a handle member 8 around a rotatablejoint 13, where the rotational movement is converted to linear movementby means of a slide member 12 in the end of the handle member 8, whichis constrained to a linear movement in a track 19 comprised by thehousing 14. It is important to notice that the linear movement of thecoupling member 7 can be effected in several other ways, for instance bybeing pushed from the above by a user. In another preferred embodiment,the track 19 can be arched or curved instead of being linear, wherebythe conversion of the rotational movement of the handle member 8 intolinear movement of the coupling member 7 can be geared so that thevelocity of the coupling member's 7 movement relative to the housing 14varies as a function of how far the handle member 8 has been rotatedaround the rotational joint 13.

FIG. 2 shows in section (a) a schematic cross-sectional view and insection (b) a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment of adispensing device 1 according to the invention. The dispensing device 1comprises a coupling member 7 which comprises a beverage duct 27, afirst end 28, a second end 29 and a mid section 30. Furthermore, thedispensing device 1 is mounted in a housing 14, which comprises a firstend 15 and a second end 16. The holder 17 for the beverage container 4(not shown) is situated in the second end 16. The housing 14 alsocomprises a groove 18 in which the coupling member 7 can slide back andforth in an essentially linear movement.

The dispensing device 1 according to the preferred embodiment shown inFIG. 2 comprises a tube member 22 comprising a pressure medium duct 23.The tube member 22 is at its second end 25 attached to the midsection 30of the coupling member 7. The pressure medium duct 23 extends from thefirst end 24 of the tube member 22, extends further to the second end 25of the tube member 22 and into the coupling member 7, through which itextends to a pressure medium outlet 34 at said second end 29 of thecoupling member 7. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, thepressure medium duct 23 is adapted to fit the nozzle of a pressuremedium hose in the sense that the portion of the duct 23 that extendsthrough the tube member 22 has a larger cross-sectional area than thatof the portion of the pressure medium duct 23 that extends through thecoupling member 7. At the point where the cross-sectional area changesis a pressure medium inlet 36. The pressure medium duct 23 can in otherpreferred embodiments also extend through other parts of the dispensingdevice 1, if for instance it is preferred to connect a nozzle of apressure medium hose in a different part of the dispensing device 1.Also, the cross-sectional areas of the different portions of thepressure medium duct can in other preferred embodiments be different.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the pressure medium outlet34 is covered by a compressible seal member 26 located at the second end29 of the coupling member 7, so that the pressure medium duct 23 ishermetically sealed when the compressible seal member 26 is in anon-compressed state. When the compressible seal member is compressed,it does not cover the pressure medium outlet, thus making it possiblefor pressure medium to flow from the dispensing device to for instance abeverage container 4 (not shown). In the preferred embodiment shown inFIG. 2, the compressible seal member 26 is shaped as a torus-like pipeelement circling the second end 29 of the coupling member 7, so that thecompressible seal member 26 moves along with the coupling member 7. Thishas the effect that the compressible seal member 26 can be compressed ordecompressed if the movement of the coupling member causes it to impactan outside element, such as a beverage container 4 (not shown). Hence,in the preferred embodiment, the compressible seal member enables adirect link between movement of the coupling member and the opening orshutting of the pressure medium outlet 34.

In the preferred embodiment of the dispensing device 1 shown in FIG. 2,the dispensing device 1 comprises a handle member 8 comprising a firstend 9 shaped as a two-legged fork with a slide member 12 extending fromeach leg of the fork. The slide members 12 are in the preferredembodiment cylindrical and extend orthogonally from each of the legs ofthe fork of the first end 9. The slide members 12 each engage tracks 19comprised by the midsection 40 of the housing 14. The tracks 19 areessentially linear, so that the slide members 12 can slide inessentially linear movements between first extremes 20 and secondextremes 21 of the tracks 19. In the preferred embodiment, the tracks 19are parallel with each other and orthogonal to the directions in whichthe coupling member 7 can slide in the groove 18 of the housing 14. Inanother preferred embodiment, the tracks 19 can be arched, curved orangled, and they can also be unparallel with each other, and they caneven not be orthogonal to the groove 18. Also, in another preferredembodiment the first end 9 can be a simple rod or a fork with more thantwo legs.

The handle member 8 further comprises a midsection 11 which is attachedto the coupling member 7 in a rotatable joint 13. In the preferredembodiment, the midsection 11 is comprised by the two fork-legs of thefirst end 9. The rotatable joint 13 is in a preferred embodiment acylindrical element which extends from a first of the fork-legs of themidsection 11, through the coupling member 7, to a second of thefork-legs of the midsection 11. In another preferred embodiment, themidsection 11 can be a simple rod or comprise more than two fork legs.Also, in another preferred embodiment, the rotational joint 13 can beanother type of rotational joint, such as a ball bearing or any othersuitable joint. Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, the handlemember 8 comprises a second end 10, extending from the midsection 11 inan angle relative to the first end 9. The second end 10 is in thepreferred embodiment shaped as a handle which is convenient for a userto pull.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the coupling member 7comprises a beverage duct 27 extending from a beverage outlet 35 at thefirst end 28 of the coupling member 7 to a beverage inlet 37 at thesecond end 29 of said coupling member 7. In the preferred embodiment,the beverage outlet 35 is adapted to a dispensing line from which thebeverage 3 (not shown) can poured into for instance a glass. Thebeverage inlet 37 is in the preferred embodiment adapted to the beverageoutlet 6 of the beverage container 4 (not shown). In other preferredembodiments, the beverage outlet 35 and/or the beverage inlet 37 can beadapted to other types of beverage containers and/or other types ofdispensing lines. In the preferred embodiment, the beverage duct 27comprises a beverage valve 31 which is cylindrical with a duct 33through its circular cross-section 32. The beverage valve 31 is arrangedso that it, upon rotation around an axis 34 being essentially orthogonalto the circular cross-section 32, can change from a state where itblocks the beverage duct 27 to a state where it does not block thebeverage duct 27. In the latter, the duct 33 is aligned with thebeverage duct 27, so that a passage of beverage 3 (not shown) throughthe coupling member 7 is possible. In other preferred embodiments, thebeverage valve 31 can be of a shape different from cylindrical, such asconical or spherical. The beverage valve 31 comprises a sealing member41 (not shown) in order to ensure a proper blocking of the beverage duct27.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the beverage valve 31 andthe rotational joint 13 is the same component. This is veryadvantageous, as it creates a direct link between the opening andshutting of the beverage valve and the linear movement of the couplingmember.

In other preferred embodiments of the invention, the rotational valve 31can be replaced by other valve types, such as a compressible hose, amagnetic valve or any other suitable valve type. Additionally, otherpreferred embodiments can comprise a valve that can be shut or opened asa result of activated respectively deactivated flow of pressure medium.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the preferredembodiment of a dispensing device 1 from FIG. 2 in three differentstates. In section (a) of FIG. 3, the dispensing device 1 is shown in adisengaged state with the handle member in a top position, whereby thebeverage valve 31 is closed so that beverage 3 (not shown) can not passthrough the beverage duct 27. Also, the compressible seal member 26 isin a non-compressed state, whereby the pressure medium outlet 34 isclosed.

In section (b) of FIG. 3, the preferred embodiment of the dispensingdevice 1 is shown in a state where it is connected to a beveragecontainer 4. Prior to connecting the dispensing device 1 to the beveragecontainer 4, a nozzle 42 of a hose supplying pressure medium 5 to thedispensing system 2 is connected to the pressure medium inlet 36comprised by the pressure medium duct 23. This enables flow of pressuremedium 5 through the pressure medium duct 23 all the way to the pressuremedium outlet 34, which is sealed by the compressible seal member 26 asthe dispensing device is not connected to the beverage container 4. Uponconnecting the nozzle 42, the holder 17 of the housing 14 is slid onto aconnection piece 43 comprised by the beverage container 4 so that a firmconnection is established. Thereafter, the handle member 8 is rotatedaround the rotatable joint 13, whereby the slide members 12 (not shown)move from the extremes 20 towards the extremes 21, both comprised by thetrack 19 (not shown). As explained in the above, the orthogonalitybetween the track 19 (not shown) and the groove 18 makes it possible toconvert the rotational movement of the handle member 8 into a linearmovement of the coupling member 7 by means of the cooperation of theslide members 12 (not shown), the rotational joint 13, and the track 19and the groove 18. Hence, the rotation of the handle member effects anessentially linear movement of the coupling member 7. In other preferredembodiments, a user can effect the linear movement of the couplingmember 7 in other ways than by rotating a handle member 8, for instanceby directly pushing the coupling member, by activating an automatedmeans or by pulling another intermediate part than a manual handlemember 8. In yet other preferred embodiments, the track 19 can be curvedto achieve a gearing of the conversion of the rotational movement of thehandle member 8 into essentially linear movement of the coupling member7.

During the essentially linear movement of the coupling member towardsthe beverage container 4, the compressible sealing member 26 engages theconnection piece of the beverage container 4, whereby the compressibleseal member 26 is compressed causing the pressure medium outlet 34 to beopened. At this point of the linear movement of the coupling member 7,the pressure medium outlet 34 is inside the beverage container 4 and thepressure medium 5 thus only flows to the inside of the beveragecontainer 4 and not to the surroundings. When pressure medium 5 isflowing into the beverage container 4, the added pressure pushesbeverage towards the beverage outlet 6. At the same point of themovement of the coupling member 7, the beverage outlet 6 is inside partof the beverage duct 27 located near the second end 29 of the couplingmember 7, and the beverage now flowing from the inside of the beveragecontainer 4 flows into the beverage duct 27 and not to the surroundings.At a point a bit further of the linear movement of the coupling member7, the beverage valve 31 is opened as an additional result of therotation of the handle member 8, whereby the beverage 3 (not shown) canflow through the entire beverage duct 27, out of the beverage outlet 35and into a dispensing line (not shown). It is clear to the personskilled in the art that the coherence of when exactly the pressuremedium valve 34 is opened, exactly when the beverage valve 31 is opened,exactly when and how contact with the various parts of the beveragecontainer 4 is achieved, can be altered in other preferred embodimentswithout deviating from the present invention.

Reversing the rotation of the handle member 8 effects a reversion of thelinear movement of the coupling member 7 and the rotation also shuts thebeverage valve 31. As the coupling member 7 moves away from theconnection piece 43, the compressible seal member 26 moves back to itsnon-compressed state, whereby the pressure medium outlet 34 is coveredby the compressible seal member again.

The opening and shutting of the pressure medium outlet 34 is effected bythe linear movement of the coupling member 7 and the contact with theconnection piece 43 of the beverage container. Hence, if the dispensingdevice 1 is not connected to the beverage container 4, the handle member8 or the coupling member 7 can be moved without it resulting inundesired opening of the pressure medium outlet 34, and the dispensingdevice 1 according to the invention thus prevents leakage of pressuremedium to the surroundings caused for instance by faulty disconnectionfrom a beverage container. In section (c) of FIG. 3 is shown thepreferred embodiment of the dispensing device 1 according to theinvention in a state where it is not connected to a beverage container,but where the handle member 8 is rotated without the pressure mediumoutlet 34 being opened.

It is clear for the person skilled in the art that the other preferredembodiments mentioned in the above can function in the same way as shownin FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows two perspective views of the preferred embodiment fromFIGS. 2 and 3 of a dispensing device 1 according to the invention. Insection (a) of FIG. 4, the dispensing device 1 is shown in a rearperspective, and in section (b) of FIG. 4, the dispensing device 1 isshown in a front perspective without the housing 14 in order to bettervisualise the handle member 8 and the coupling member 7.

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of components of the preferred embodimentof a dispensing device according to the invention. In FIG. 5, thecomponents are shown from side view perpendicular to that in FIGS. 1-4.In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the compressible sealmember 26 comprises a helical spring, a ring of a flexible material anda ring of a rigid material. This combination is suitable for thecoupling member 7 of the preferred embodiment of the invention. Thehandle member 8 of the preferred embodiment of the invention comprisestwo fork legs and a handle, as shown in FIG. 5. The beverage valve 31 ofthe preferred embodiment comprises a cylindrical piece with a ductthrough its cross-section. The cylindrical piece is enclosed in a sealmember which can be a modified O-ring made from a flexible material.

The person skilled in the art will see that a dispensing deviceaccording to the invention can easily be used with or adapted to othertypes of beverage containers 4 than that shown in FIGS. 1-4, by forinstance moving the beverage inlet 37 and/or the pressure outlet 34 tomatch the beverage outlet and/or the pressure medium inlet of a specificcontainer. Also, the person skilled in the art can easily adapt thecompressible seal member 26 and/or the housing 14 and/or the couplingmember 7 to fit other types of beverage containers that used as examplein FIGS. 1-4.

The materials to be used for the various components of the dispensingdevice according to the invention can easily be picked by the personskilled in the art. In most cases, applying stainless steel for rigidcomponents and rubber for flexible components is one example.

Although the invention above has been described in connection withpreferred embodiments of the invention, it will be evident for a personskilled in the art that several modifications are conceivable withoutdeparting from the invention as defined by the following claims.

1. A dispensing device for a dispensing system to be used in connectionwith dispensing of a beverage, the dispensing system comprising abeverage container comprising a beverage outlet, a pressure medium, suchas CO₂, which is adapted to force the beverage via the beverage outletout of the beverage container, wherein aid dispensing device comprises acoupling member, the connection of dispensing of beverage and theconnection of the flow of said pressure medium to said beveragecontainer are effected by an essentially linear movement of saidcoupling member, wherein the disconnection of dispensing of beverage andthe disconnection of the flow of said pressure medium to said beveragecontainer are effected by an essentially linear movement of saidcoupling member, wherein said dispensing device comprises a handlemember comprising a first end with a slide member extending from it, asecond end, and a midsection, wherein the midsection is attached to thecoupling member in a rotatable joint, said rotatable joint comprising abeverage valve.
 2. The dispensing device according to claim 1, whereinthe dispensing device is adapted to connect the dispensing of beveragefrom the beverage container and the flow of the pressure medium to thebeverage container at essentially the same time.
 3. The dispensingdevice according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing device is adapted todisconnect the dispensing of beverage and the flow of the pressuremedium to the beverage container at essentially the same time.
 4. Thedispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing device ismounted in a housing, the housing comprising a first end and a secondend, wherein the second end comprises a holder for the beveragecontainer.
 5. The dispensing device according to claim 4, wherein thehousing further comprises a groove in which said coupling member cancarry out said essentially linear movement.
 6. The dispensing deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein the first end of the housing comprises aclosed track in which said slide member can slide in an essentiallylinear movement between a first extreme and a second extreme.
 7. Thedispensing device according to claim 6, wherein the dispensing ofbeverage and the flow of the pressure medium to the beverage containerare, connected when the slide member moves from the first extreme to thesecond extreme.
 8. The dispensing device according to claim 6, in whichthe dispensing of beverage and the flow of the pressure medium isdisconnected when the slide member moves from the second extreme to thefirst extreme.
 9. The dispensing device according to claim 6, whereinthe slide member moves towards the second extreme by rotation of thehandle member around the rotatable joint in a first direction, andwherein the slide member moves away from the second extreme by rotationof the handle member (8) around the rotatable joint in a seconddirection.
 10. The dispensing device according to claim 1, comprising acompressible seal member, and a tube member, comprising a pressuremedium duct, a first end, and a second end, wherein the coupling membercomprises a beverage duct, a first end, a second end and a mid section,and the second end of the tube member is attached to the mid section ofthe coupling member, and the compressible seal member is located at thesecond end of the coupling member.
 11. The dispensing device accordingto claim 10, wherein the coupling member comprises a beverage ductextending from a beverage outlet at the first end of the coupling memberto a beverage inlet at the second end of the coupling member, andwherein the beverage duct comprises a beverage valve.
 12. The dispensingdevice according to claim 11, wherein the beverage valve is essentiallycylindrical comprising a circular cross-section and a duct extendingthrough the circular cross-section.
 13. The dispensing device accordingto claim 12, wherein the beverage valve can rotate around an axis beingessentially orthogonal to the circular cross-section of the beveragevalve.
 14. The dispensing device according to claim 10, wherein thepressure medium duct starts at the first end of the tube member, passesthrough the attachment of the second end of the tube member and themidsection of the coupling member, and ends in a pressure medium outletat the second end of the coupling member.
 15. The dispensing deviceaccording to claim 14, wherein the compressible seal member in anon-compressed state closes the pressure medium outlet, and wherein thecompressible seal member in a compressed state does not close saidpressure medium outlet.
 16. A method for dispensing beverage from adispensing system comprising the dispensing device according to claim 1,the method comprising: connecting a pressure medium nozzle to thedispensing device; connecting the dispensing device to the beveragecontainer; and moving the coupling member in an essentially linearmovement.
 17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising anyof: effecting essentially linear movement of the coupling member byrotating the handle member; effecting a beverage valve to open by saidessentially linear movement of the coupling member; effecting a beveragevalve to close by said essentially linear movement of the couplingmember; effecting a pressure medium outlet to open by said essentiallylinear movement of the coupling member; and effecting a pressure mediumoutlet to close by the essentially linear movement of the couplingmember.
 18. The dispensing device according to claim 1, dispensing otherfluids such as chemicals, foodstuffs, oils etc.